Case Studies
Good news is always welcome at times like this. Thought you would enjoy this adoption that was completed virtually with the judge. What a neat story. Look at that face…I’m sure his smile brings a smile to you.
It’s a sad fact that a lack of resources can create hurdles that are hard to overcome in any situation. In the case of adoption and foster care, these hurdles can be absolutely devastating, leaving children without permanent caregivers, simply because of the lack of affordable legal services.
The Democratic Republic of Congo was once known as the breadbasket of Africa. Dissected by the Congo River, Congo is home to vast natural resources. Coffee, sugar, tea, cotton, bananas, cocoa, and peanuts all grow well here; and its mountains and hills are filled with copper, gold, diamonds, and cobalt.
Home – it’s a small word with big connotations, especially if you don’t have one. Na Na was abandoned by her parents as a newborn after it was discovered that she had a cleft palate. Xiao Long, also born with a cleft palate, was surrendered to an orphanage when he was one. Liang Liang has a congenital spinal cord defect and was placed in institutional care before he was three.
Treasure can mean different things to different people, but the common thread woven through the personal definitions is that treasure is something of great value and worth.
In many parts of the world, access to education is a primary challenge. In the US, however, access isn’t the problem, lack of connection is – connection to communities, companies, and government and philanthropic resources.
Loss of a job or home. Sudden illness. Domestic abuse. Incarceration. When crisis strikes, many of us have friends and family we can call. But for some families, there is no safety net. As parents are struggling, children are particularly at risk for abuse or neglect. Many of these children end up in foster care, simply because they have no other place to go while mom or dad is coping with the crisis.
Newspapers and social media are riddled with stories of problems in schools, childhood bullying, fights, substance abuse, and suicides. Often, the victims in these scenarios are people who are labeled as “different.” Differences in appearance, ethnicity, physical abilities, socioeconomic status... it doesn’t really matter what the differences are. If someone is perceived as different, they can become the targets of hatred and intolerance.